


The Right Left Hand

by morrezela



Category: Smallville
Genre: Engagement, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 06:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/707350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morrezela/pseuds/morrezela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex proposes to a teenage Clark. Set sometime after ‘Prodigal.’</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Right Left Hand

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a request on the “Let’s Get Gay Married” comment fic meme.
> 
> I started Smallville late too late to enjoy the Clex movement, but I loved their dynamic early in the series. So when I was mindlessly scrolling through prompts, the Clex one caught my attention. My Smallville continuity is sketchy at best, but so was the show’s.
> 
> I loved that moment of hope in ‘Prodigal’ where Lex and Jonathan actually connected, and their relationship thawed. I loved both characters, and it was that one time where I thought they could bridge the gap, so I put the fic sometime after that. I’m just completely ignoring Lex's canon relationships around this time.
> 
> The title is shamelessly stolen from the George Jones song of the same name. Lex is spinning in his cryogenic grave.
> 
> All mistakes that you find are my own.

Lex admits that maybe this isn’t the best plan that he’s ever had. Strictly speaking, it is less of a plan and more of an impulsive indulgence.

From the look on Clark’s face, it’s quite possibly less impulsive and more idiotic. Then again, for all his charms, Clark is still a Kansas farm boy. He’s very pretty. He has great potential, and he is great at saving Lex’s life from disastrous car crashes, but he isn’t so good at the plotting. Lex knows he needs to take Clark’s skepticism with a grain of salt.

“That’s a ring.” Clark says, his blue eyes staring at the object as if he has never seen one before.

“Yes.” Lex draws the word out very slowly. He’s on his fucking knees in Clark Kent’s fucking loft oasis. If his business rivals had caught him up here doing this, they wouldn’t have hesitated to whip out their phones and start informing God and Lionel Luthor of his son’s romantic intentions towards, “That Kent Boy.”

Of course, Clark is the one who caught him practicing his proposal, so he’s giving Lex the benefit of the doubt. It’s sweet, really, but he’d prefer if Clark just jumped to the obvious conclusion for once. Luthors don’t do embarrassment well. He would have suffered through it gladly for the proposal itself, but having been caught practicing? He feels that there is enough humiliation inherent to that that he shouldn’t have to go through with the actual asking.

“It’s gold.” Clark says dumbly.

“Clark, if you tell me it’s in a box, I’ll hire a team to paint the barn pink in the middle of the night.” Lex snaps.

For a moment he wishes he could take back the irritation in his tone. He doesn’t think that you’re supposed to be rude when asking somebody to marry you, but his usual smoothness has deserted him. He doesn’t remember it being so awkward the last time he tried to get himself engaged. Then again, his previous attempts at marriage are best not thought about at all.

“Okay,” Clark says, all endearing placation. “What are you doing up here with that?”

Lex just arches his eyebrows at him. The look is meant to infer that Clark has the intelligence of one of his father’s heifers. From the way that Clark’s mouth twists in that pissy frown of his, Lex figures that he made his point.

“Lex,” Clark whines.

He’s going to be hearing a variation of that for the rest of his life if all goes well. He’s oddly happy about that. It might actually be love talking instead of some newly developed meteorite poisoning.

“Clark, really, do we have to play this game? We’re both reasonably intelligent, and very attractive, men.”

Clark’s beautifully formed forehead wrinkles as his majestic, raven colored eyebrows crunch together in confusion.

Lex shakes his head a bit to clear it. Creative writing was never his strong suit except when he was coming up with bogus stories for the police, the press and overly snoopy investors. He needs to steer clear of romanticizing Clark’s fine features if he wants to maintain a healthy level of self respect.

Clark tries a little half laugh before saying, “Why didn’t you tell me that you were planning on getting married again? And what does being ‘very attractive’ have to do with you practicing your marriage proposal in my loft? Why are you up here anyway? Does your father have your entire place under video surveillance or something?”

“Actually, he might. It’s been a while since I had the place swept.” Lex frowns at the thought before shaking his head a bit to clear it. “And to answer your question, I was trying to find the right lighting. Being in possession of your full head of hair, you don’t realize how distracting the reflection of light can be on a bald head.”

“But that would only work if you were going to do the actual proposal up here. Wait. You were going to propose up here? Lex, are you insane? No woman is going to want you to propose to her in my parent’s barn!”

Lex manfully withholds a sigh and reminds himself that he and Clark cannot reproduce, so he doesn’t need to worry about their progeny inheriting Clark’s less than fully functioning deduction skills.

“It’s good thing that I’m not proposing to a woman, then, right? Unless that’s the big secret you’ve been trying to hide from me.”

He takes it as a good sign that Clark’s first reaction is to say, “I’m not hiding anything,” in that completely fake way that telegraphs that not only is hehiding something, but he might actually know where Jimmy Hoffa is.

It’s cute, but Lex is going to have to hire an acting coach to teach Clark how to lie. Even if Clark does manage to work his earnest magic on Lex enough to change the Luthor name into something true and honest, he is going to have to learn how to lie and avoid or the whole of Metropolis is going to know everything about their sex life.

Clark’s denial is quickly followed by his adorably handsome face going pale then flushing scarlet as the implications of Lex’s words finally sink in.

“You… I… But I’m…” Clark’s hands flail a bit while he talks and he ends with a gesture over towards his telescope.

“Involved in a long term stalking relationship with a woman of impossibility so that you can ignore your homosexual leanings?” Lex suggests.

That one earns him a glare, but Clark doesn’t deny it, so he figures that is another point in his favor.

“I talk to Lana now. We’re friends, and I think that I might…”

“Marry me.” Lex finally blurts out. He’ll gladly counsel Clark through his teenage angst once he’s got his damn ring on the man’s finger, but right now his knees are starting to hurt from being in the classic proposal stance for too long, and he’d like to be sitting before he has to start imparting his wisdom. He’d also like to be able to interrupt Clark with a few kisses. Kissing is an essential weapon in Lex’s arsenal of wooing.

“Lex, I’m nowhere near eighteen!” Clark objects.

Lex dismisses that with a wave of his hand. “Your parents can sign a consent form.”

“My dad hates you.”

“Actually, I find that my relationship with Jonathan has thawed considerably as of late. Apparently my ability to muck out stalls has gone a long way in convincing him of my character. Besides, we both know that your mother can convince him of anything.”

“I’m a guy.”

“So we get married somewhere that it’s legal. I’ll have papers drawn up and filed in all of the states and pertinent foreign countries to give us a reasonable facsimile of marital rights for those that don’t recognize us.”

Clark’s eyes narrow. “Have you been near any green fumes lately? Seen anything glowing or tasted anything funny?”

God, Lex loves it when Clark gets suspicious and paranoid. It makes his heart flutter. He telegraphs his appreciation of Clark’s wariness by smiling and holding the ring box out to him.

“I’m only here because of my great admiration towards you. You’re like my counterbalance. Strong and whole, earnest and devious, tall and ripped...” Lex drifts off a moment to admire the way that Clark’s jeans are clinging to his thighs. As long as Clark isn’t letting him off floor, he might as well appreciate the view.

“You aren’t just after my virginity are you?” Clark asks, his face turning to stone.

And no, Lex isn’t after that, although he’s honest enough to admit that the knowledge of Clark’s intact innocence is tempting in a very unsophisticated way. Then again, Clark’s inexperience is probably going to take them a while to get over in the bedroom. That might not be fun. Maybe he should start buying some more porn for instructional purposes.

“Of course I’m not after your virginity. You’re my best friend. You’re the only person I trust!” Lex denies Clark’s question without putting much thought into it. He’s too busy trying to figure out what sort of kinks he should try to introduce to his fiancée.

“Lex, this is insane. You don’t love me.”

“Of course I do,” Lex says dismissively. Really, he has to love Clark. He hasn’t been nearly as ruthless with him as he could have been, and he’s been very nice to the man’s mother. Martha has already shown some maternal tendencies towards Lex. He’s practically already her son-in-law.

“Lex,” Clark whines again, and it’s clearly time to change tactics.

He pulls the ring out of its box, grabs Clark’s stupidly large hand and shoves the ring onto his finger.

“There,” he says with a purposely goading smile as he finally, finally gets to his feet. It isn’t the most graceful of moves as one of his legs has fallen asleep, but he doesn’t think Clark notices. Mr. Kent, soon to be Mr. Luthor, is staring at the ring on his finger.

“I’ll replace it with a nicer ring when we’re married. Naturally I’ll want you to pick out something you like. I certainly don’t expect you to wear something so cheap, but that was the most expensive ring that the jewelers had to offer in your size. I would have gone to Metropolis, but I thought you might appreciate me getting you something form your hometown.” Lex explains.

He doesn’t know why he bothers. Clark is still staring at his hand.

“I can’t accept this.” He mumbles though he gratifyingly does not move to take the ring off.

“Of course you can, you’re my fiancée.”

“I… You know that Dad will make me give this back.”

“Jonathan only makes you give back gifts. This is an engagement ring.”

Clark turns his stare to Lex’s face. “That doesn’t sound convincing even coming from your lips. You know that this is cr…”

Lex cuts off Clark’s protest with a kiss. Even though his significant other towers above him, he still comes easily. Stumbling forward like a puppy that is all legs and giant paws, Clark kind of smushes against Lex’s lips more than he properly kisses them. But Lex has made out with a lot of people in his life, and some of them have been very high and insanely drunk – at the same time. He knows how to salvage a kiss into something good.

Of course, what he does not know is how to salvage a giant burning hole in the floor.

“Uh, the magnified power of the sun can cause spontaneous combustion. Especially when focused through the…”

Lex puts his hand over Clark’s mouth. “Clark. I went to a very prestigious school. I’m a scientific genius and the protégé of one of the most ruthless and intelligent men in the world.”

Clark flushes a dull red and looks away.

Lex’s heart flutters at the sight. It really is adorable.

“Clark?” Martha’s voice echoes in the barn.

“Up here, Mom.” Clark calls back.

“Supper is ready. Tell Lex he can come if he wants.”

Lex grins and extends his hand towards Clark. “Come on, supper awaits.”

Clark glares at him with the full power of his teenage wrath, but when he extends his newly adorned hand into Lex’s grasp?

It’s the best feeling in the world.


End file.
